U.S. patent number 6,021,960 [Application Number 08/949,598] was granted by the patent office on 2000-02-08 for colored light shower head.
Invention is credited to Joel Kehat.
United States Patent |
6,021,960 |
Kehat |
February 8, 2000 |
Colored light shower head
Abstract
A shower for chrome-hydro-therapy includes a shower head adapted
to issue a spray of colored water onto the body of a person. The
shower head includes a rear portion provided with a connector to
the domestic water supply and an open front portion covered by a
screen or perforated member adapted to eject the water in a finely
divided spray. The shower head contains a colored light source
mounted in concentric alignment with the screen or perforated
member, so as to direct colored light rays into the spray. In a
first embodiment, the light source is in the form of a lamp
comprising a bulb and at least one battery which is enclosed in a
waterproof, transparent housing. In another embodiment, the light
is emitted from the end of an optical fiber which has its other end
optically connected to a colored light source outside the shower.
In both embodiments, the light can be switched on or off by the
user.
Inventors: |
Kehat; Joel (Ramat Ishay 30095,
IL) |
Family
ID: |
11069379 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/949,598 |
Filed: |
October 14, 1997 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S.
Class: |
239/289; 239/18;
362/96 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B05B
15/00 (20130101); F21V 31/00 (20130101); F21V
33/004 (20130101); F21S 8/00 (20130101); F21S
9/02 (20130101); A61N 2005/0663 (20130101); F21W
2131/401 (20130101); A61H 2201/10 (20130101); A61N
2005/0668 (20130101); B05B 1/18 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B05B
15/00 (20060101); F21V 33/00 (20060101); F21V
31/00 (20060101); F21S 9/02 (20060101); F21S
8/00 (20060101); F21S 9/00 (20060101); A61H
9/00 (20060101); B05B 1/18 (20060101); B05B
015/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;239/289,18,19,20
;362/192,96,54 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Shaver; Kevin
Assistant Examiner: Deal; David
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Frishauf, Holtz, Goodman, Langer
& Chick, P.C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A shower head for chrome-hydro-therapy adapted to issue a spray
of colored water on the body of a person, comprising;
a shower head having a rear portion to be connected to a domestic
supply of hot and cold water, and a front portion including a
perforated member adapted to eject a water stream in the form of
finely divided drops, to thereby form a water spray; and
a colored light source supplied with electrical current from at
least one battery, said colored light source being mounted in said
shower head in waterproof fashion to prevent water from entering
into the colored light source, and said colored light source being
arranged to direct colored light rays only in a frontal direction
into said water spray such that the colored light rays extend in
the direction of the water spray to color the water drops in the
water spray.
2. The shower head of claim 1, wherein said colored light source
comprises a lamp having a waterproof cylindrical housing containing
said at least one battery and a light bulb in a front end thereof,
said lamp being mounted in said shower head in substantially
concentric alignment with said perforated member and substantially
perpendicular to said perforated member.
3. The shower head of claim 2, wherein said lamp is secured in a
tubular lamp holder which is integral with said rear portion of
said shower head, in substantially concentric and perpendicular
alignment with said perforated member, said lamp holder having an
open rear end for insertion of said lamp.
4. The shower head of claim 3, wherein said lamp is provided with
an on/off switch at a rear end portion thereof which protrudes out
of the open rear end of said lamp holder.
5. The shower head of claim 3, wherein said tubular lamp holder has
a closed front end which is closed by a transparent cover, and
wherein said light bulb is colored.
6. The shower head of claim 5, wherein said perforated member is
made of a transparent colored material so as to color the water
drops in the water spray.
7. The shower head of claim 3, wherein said tubular lamp holder is
open at both ends, and wherein said lamp protrudes out of the open
front end of said lamp holder and through a central hole in said
perforated member.
8. The shower head of claim 7, wherein said light bulb of said lamp
is enclosed in a transparent envelope which extends through a
substantially central hole in said perforated member.
9. The shower head of claim 8, wherein an exchangeable colored
filter is mounted on the front end of said transparent envelope
enclosing said lamp.
10. The shower head of claim 1, wherein said light source comprises
a light emitting diode supplied with electric current from said
battery.
11. The shower head of claim 1, wherein said battery is a primary
cell.
12. The shower head of claim 1, wherein said battery is a
rechargeable cell.
13. A shower head for chrome-hydro-therapy adapted to issue a spray
of colored water on the body of a person, comprising:
a shower head having a rear portion to be connected to a domestic
supply of hot and cold water, and a front portion including a
perforated member adapted to eject a water stream in the form of
finely divided drops, to thereby form a water spray; and
a colored light source positioned remote from said shower head and
connected to a first end of a light-conducting optical fiber, said
light-conducting optical fiber having a second end mounted in said
shower head in substantially concentric alignment with the
direction of said water spray issuing from said shower head so as
to emit colored light rays which extend in the direction of the
water spray to color the water drops in the water spray.
Description
The invention relates to a shower head configured to emit a spray
of water colored by an integral light source.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Color-therapy--or chromo-therapy--and hydrotherapy are two healing
methods which have been practiced from ancient times and which
today are gaining more and more acceptance with ever widening
fields of application.
Treatment of many diseases by application of colored light is being
practiced in today's alternative medicine and is being gradually
accepted by modern medicine, especially in psychotherapy. Each
specific color is considered to have a particular quality effecting
certain energy centers in the human body, linked to body
physiology. Stimulation of these energy centers by means of a
particular color is apt to modify physiological processes and
thereby to heal certain diseases.
Hydrotherapy, the external application of a stream of water, is
being used by specialists in physical medicine and rehabilitation
and by physical therapists in the treatment of diseases and
injuries. The primary value of water in the therapy is a medium for
application and reduction of temperature or other forms of energy
or stimuli and/or a massaging agent.
The selective use of color in the treatment of human diseases is a
complex healing art. Color may be applied alone or in special
therapeutic combinations to enhance the potential of color healing
through synergistic effects. The methods by which the frequencies
of color can be transmitted are numerous, such as using sunlight or
artificial light passed through color filters of various hues, or
naturally colored lamps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the advantages of both chromo-therapy and hydro-therapy,
it is the main object of the present invention to combine both
methods and to provide means serving to treat a person by means of
a water shower which can be colored in any hue suitable for
treatment of the specific disease.
It is another object to provide means of the above kind which can
be easily applied and permit changing of water temperature and
color without effort.
Still another object is to provide means for hydro-chromo-therapy
which present no danger, neither to the patient nor to the medical
personnel, and which should be available at low cost so as to
permit its use not only in medical installations, but in any
home.
The invention relates to a shower head, both stationary or hand
held, which includes a rear portion provided with a connector to a
supply of hot and cold water and a front portion attachable the
rear portion by, for example, screw thread and which contains a
perforated screen configured to eject the water in spray form.
According to the present invention the shower head contains a
colored light source mounted substantially in the center of the
shower head and co-ordinated with the direction of the water
stream. The light source is insulated against penetration of water
and may be in the form of a colored bulb or, preferably, in the
form of an incandescent bulb and an exchangeable color filter
mounted in front of the bulb.
The light source is in the form of an electric low-voltage lamp in
the form of a substantially waterproof cylindrical housing. It
includes a light bulb extending towards the front and is supplied
current from one or more electric cells (batteries) enclosed in the
housing and energized by means of an on/off switch in its rear end
which protrudes out of the rear end of the shower head.
In a first embodiment of the shower head the lamp is enclosed in a
cylindrical casing which is integral with the rear portion and is
closed by a transparent front cover, while having an open rear end
for insertion of the lamp. In this embodiment the bulb is colored
and may be exchanged by a bulb of a different color. It is
understood that in this embodiment the light passes through the
perforations in the front sreen member and colors the water passing
therethrough as well.
In a second embodiment the bulb is enclosed in a waterproof
transparent envelope in the front of the housing. The lamp is
mounted in a tubular lamp holder concentric with the rear portion
of the shower and extends through a central opening in the front
screen member, with the bulb in its envelope surrouded by an
annular water spray. In this embodiment the bulb may be exchanged
for a bulb of a different color or it may be uncolored with an
exchangeable colored filter mounted onto the front of the envelope
.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a stationary shower head having a
colored light source protruding out of its front portion,
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the shower head of FIG. 2, with the
components in disassembled state,
FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a stationary shower head having a
colored light source mounted in its rear portion,
FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the shower head of FIG. 3 with the
components in disassembled state,
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a hand-held shower head similar to
that illustrated in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a hand-held shower head similar to
that illustrated in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The shower head illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a rear
portion I in the shape of a half-ellipsoid 1 and is connected to a
domestic water supply by a pipe 2 terminating in a screw-connector
3. Its open front is screw-threaded 4 for connection of the front
portion II. The rear end is open and is continued in frontal
direction by a tubular lamp holder 5 which extends close to the
front end of the half-ellipsoid. The front portion II is in the
shape of a flat cap 6 provided with internal screw thread 7
corresponding to the screw thread on the rear portion and has its
front covered by an annular screem 8 (perforating member) creating
the shower spray. The center of the screen is open (9) to permit
the lamp III to protrude through it to the front. The lamp III
contains a waterproof housing 10 which contains one or more
electric cells (batteries) 25 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) and a bulb 11
enclosed in a waterproof transparent envelope 12. The lamp is
mounted in the lamp holder 5 with its rear end and switch
protruding out of the rear portion and with the transparent
envelope slightly protruding beyond the screen 8. A cap-shaped
colored filter 13 is configured to be mounted on the envelope and
to color the water drops ejected through the screen
perforations.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the same shower head as that shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2, but with a different arrangement of the light
source. In these figures the same numerals are being used to
indicate identical components and these are not going to be
desribed specifically. As shown in FIG. 3, the lamp III, comprising
a waterproof housing 10 and a bulb 11, is located in a casing 15
which is closed at its front end by a transparent end cover 16. The
casing 15 is mounted in the rear portion 1 of the shower head I
concentric therewith and has an open rear end for insertion of the
lamp. The screen 8 (perforated member) is circular and it becomes
evident that the colored light passes through the screen
perforations together with the water particles which become colored
as well.
As an alternative the screen may be made of a transparent, colored
material which will transmit its color to the water passing
therethrough.
The shower heads illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 are identical with
those illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 respectively, with the
difference that they are hand-held and that the connecting pipe 2
is replaced by a handle 22 terminating in a screw connection 23.
The heads themselves and the installation of the lamp is the same,
and will not be described again.
The light source is preferably an incandescent bulb energized by
eletric cells (batteries) 25, which may be primary or rechargeable,
but it is proposed to use other light sources, such as a Light
Emitting Diode (LED) instead together with the provision of a
suitable voltage source. Another way of producing colored water
spray is by placing the open end of a light-conducting fiber, a
so-called optical fiber, into the center of the shower head, while
the other end of the fiber is optically connected to a light source
positioned outside the shower bath. In this way no electric
insulating means become necessary.
The two methods of mounting the light source in the shower head
illustrated in the foregoing are arbitrary and may be changed with
the construction of the head itself, as long as the colored light
rays extend in the direction of the water spray and color the water
drops.
* * * * *